Airborne Start Day

Today Cody starts Airborne school! Somehow Cody got by all this time with no airborne school, but the time has finally come. For the next three weeks he will be learning how to jump out of airplanes. I think he is actually pretty well versed in the prep part... but they focus a lot on how to land... landing wrong can mean serious injury or even death. Obviously we aren't too worried about this with Cody. God is our protector :-)

Today I am making a final decision whether or not to stay in school. I am worn out from school and feel like I need a break-- I have no ability to concentrate and no motivation to learn right now. Maybe I should take a break for a semester or year and then move on. What do you think?

Greyer found his dragon costume from last year's trick or treating. He insisted to wear the jacket (designed for below freezing temps) and run around our complex.... by the time we got home last night he was so wet from sweat that I thought he would have passed out if he was out there any longer. Looks like we have officially entered the time of dress up and make believe (at least he is pretending to be dragons and animals... :-P ).

We are leaving Georgia in one month. We have decided to live on post at Fort Lewis and save ourselves the headache of looking for housing and the process associated. Pray they offer us fab housing :-)

Other than that not much else is new. The weather is finally starting to break (meaning hitting less than 85).

Life's little curveballs

Isn't it funny how when you think you've got everything planned and figured out, life throws you a curve ball? God is teaching me a huge lesson in adaptability still. Apparently I haven't mastered the skill.

On a different note, Katie Provencher and I (and Greyer) went to a Married into the Military Bible study group tonight. Our church started doing growth groups and this one is fantastic. It consists of married military couples. It is fantastic to be in fellowship with others who go through the same things. So encouraging to see others face similar obstacles and conquer, continue to love Jesus and their families. God is good and always provides what we need, when we need it.

Tomorrow we have a playgroup in the AM and then I have to get tax work done. I may end up seeing Cody this weekend. :-)

Ice Cream, Married into the Military, Taxation

Greyer and I have stayed busy this week :-) Yesterday we had a very fun time touring Bruster's, a very delicious ice cream place. It reminds me exactly of Handles in Ohio. Our playgroup met there and the owner of the 3 Columbus locations showed us how to make vanilla ice cream (they use real vanilla to flavor it!) and also let the kids peek into the 35 plus flavors that they keep on hand. All the boys took a liking to the Blue Ice in the bins, so he let them have a choice between that and vanilla cones. Greyer's teeth and mouth were astonishingly BLUE after he ate his cone. I ended up licking half of the cone... poor kid can't keep up with the warm weather. It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a morning. It also reminded me of my first job as an ice cream girl at Ro's Custard in North Canton.

As I mentioned before, I am taking a tax class right now. Somehow they allowed me to graduate with the Forensic Accounting degree without have tax. I am interested in pursuing a job in tax in the spring (tax season) so it is necessary that I take the course. I am taking my time to learn everything and thoroughly be able to complete the necessary work so that I can confidently sit in an interview and get the job :-) I am praying over whatever job that God has set for me when the time comes. Greyer turns 3 in February, so he will be able to jump in school then (so long as he is potty trained! come on Greyer, my career is counting on it!!!!)

Tonight we are joining a new group that formed at our church. Married into the Military is going to be a Bible study and fellowship (gosh that sounds like we are good ole Baptists, eh? i'm not... so don't judge!) for military couples. I'm excited to meet some new Christian men and women there. They have arranged childcare so Greyer will be able to go with me :-)

No news from Cody yet. No news is good news though! :-P No, I'd love to hear from him-- and especially hear that he has gotten a 'GO'!!!!

Thanks for all your prayers. Please also remember to pray for Cody's unit, the 5/2 stryker brigade. They are in an EXTREMELY dangerous part of Afghanistan and have seen many casualties since they arrived in July.

Third full day of Mountains

Cody left for northern Georgia on Saturday. He has officially been in mountain phase for 3 full days. I don't expect to hear from him for a while. For now I am praying for him... that he has supernatural strength, that God multiplies his sleep so that he wakes up feeling refreshed, that he feels satisfied although he eats small, that he stays healthy, is protected, and has favor with the Ranger Instructors (RIs). We need you to pray for these things as well. Mountains is a very challenging 3 weeks.

Greyer and I are doing well. God is good. :-)

Mountain Phase

A lot has happened since Wednesday. As I explained before, Cody came home on Friday for his 8 hour pass at the end of Darby phase. It is basically a short pass where the men can go wash their clothes and buy more supplies for the next phase, mountain phase.

I picked Cody and his 'buddy' (this is what they say in the Army instead of friend... 'my army buddies', etc) at 9 am on Friday morning at Camp Rogers. We spent the morning shopping for boots and other supplies that the guys had run out of. They ruin boots like it's their job. A $200 pair of boots will be down the drain by 3 weeks from now. They also come home with their ACUs and socks smelling like a basement that had been flooded and never aired out for one year. All of his clothes had to be washed twice.

Cody looked good. He only lost 5 lbs, all fat. For those of you who know Cody, this means that he is just a pile of bones and muscle. He'll gain any weight lost back within two weeks of leaving ranger school. These men sit and fantasize about food all the time. Think about it... they eat two times per day, totalling about 4,000 calories. Obviously this seems like a lot, but it isn't considering the fact that they are doing physical activity for 21-23 hours per day. Yes. I do not lie.

It was sad to say goodbye, but this time it was fairly easy. It's weird how you teach yourself to understand the temporary situation and learn to live a happy life without your best friend. It's something that military wives become very good at, as long as they make the decision to do so. Last year I learned how important this is.

Katie Provencher and I took Greyer to Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, Georgia. So fun. We saw a LOT of animals and hand fed giraffes and other cool types :-) Greyer had a BLAST. Such a great way to spend a Saturday morning!

Although I finished my degree, I am continuing to stay in school part time. I am taking an additional tax course and an accounting ethics course, both required for the CPA. It's been giving me something to do.

Gotta go play with greyer!

Mid-week joy

It is Wednesday and I am doing well. I say this with 100% thanks to God, who has provided me suddenly with the people and church that I have been needing for a long time. And why are these things all coming together just now? I wasn't going to Him with my needs. I didn't ask for help, even though I knew better. The minute I went to Him and asked, he surrounded me with opportunities and I took them. It is amazing how He so readily awaits for us to come to him so that he can supply our every need :-)

Last night my friend came over and we discussed God and our current situations over sushi :-) How wonderful it is to have the support of Christian women-- I am learning that this fellowship is an absolute necessity that I must seek wherever I go. He will not bring us places without providing the people, churches, etc that we need. :-) How awesome is this? A truth that I absolutely must never forget. It will save me a lot of backtracking and sorrowful days.

Cody comes home in two days. I am nervous to see him... I need to be strong and be that encouraging rock... That is the focus of my prayers for the next few days. My military friends surely understand why I say this. It is easy to see the men and fall apart, finally letting go after weeks and months of composing ourselves. I can't do this... not now. I look to Him for comfort and strength. He has given me his Holy Spirit to fulfill those needs that are not met while my husband is gone. Doing this, I know my husband can come home for that short time to a strong and encouraging wife. He will need that... this has been a very long process for us... longer than most others have had to do.

Greyer has been fantastic. He is healthy, God has surely protected him. Georgia has been hit strong by these new crazy flu strains. They will not enter my home or my family :=)

Okay, I need to finish eating lunch without typing...I am spilling soup all over my laptop! :-O

Darby- last week

This is the last week of Darby phase (1 of 3 total). I am so excited to be almost finished but that excitement is paired with anxiousness about the next 6 weeks. Do not be anxious about anything but through prayer and petition present your requests to Him. Thank God for that encouragement. I know that he is protecting Cody and blessing us by allowing Cody to remain in Ranger school through this time... each day here is a million times better than a day in Afghanistan. It still doesn't make it easy to be apart. I know that He is taking care of us and has everything worked out for our good, so I am so encouraged by that revelation. :-) Praise God :-)

My sister came for the long Labor Day weekend. I booked a room at the SheratonGateway in Atlanta on Friday night, where we slept after her flight came in at midnight. It was a very nice hotel-- I definitely recommend it if you are looking to stay in Atlanta. We spent the weekend drinking coffee, reading, and going to parks. It was so refreshing to have here here. I was sad when i thought that we would leave Georgia without her having seen our life here. It was also a lot of quality time that she got to spend with Greyer. Actually, he loves her so much and preferred her over me the whole time. I didn't complain ;-) I was sad to see her off last night.

We went to a new church on Sunday. I have been extremely disappointed with the options here... a whole lot of religion and stuffy suits ... but this church was very different. I felt peace in my heart while I was there-- a sure sign that God wants us there. He always provides, doesn't he? :-) I am so thankful.

I have made a good friend in the past month. She is a christian, professional, and very loving person. God has definitely put us together and for that I am thankful. I am learning how vital it is to take these special people that God gives us and cherish the relationships that we have. She is actually the one who brought us to this new church. From speaking with her I knew that the church was 'the' one. How awesome is his spirit that guides us and comforts us. :-)

I start a single 15 week course this week-- it is a course that I feel that I need ... so despite the fact that I have my degree I will continue to stay in school. This semester I will only take 6 hours, which will be a breeze compared to the past years.

Again, I must say that I will see my husband for eight hours on Friday-- a sliver of time in the 80 days we must be apart, but one that we will cherish and make the most of :-)